Through the lens of Woman

The voice in Genesis 11 says make a name for ourselves — which is interesting because, in the world Genesis was written into, women were usually not allowed to make a name at all.

Babel was a patriarchal problem. The men were building the tower. The men were the ones publicly making names. Women were largely invisible in the system. Their names were not what the city was being built for. Their names were almost never made great.

And then God speaks Genesis 12 — I will make your name great — and it isn’t long before the same God who said it to Abraham starts saying it to women too. Hagar names God. Sarah laughs and is still named mother of nations. Rahab is named in the genealogy of the Messiah. Mary is told all generations will call you blessed.

You don’t have to climb. The Father is in the business of making names great for people the system never planned to mention. That is especially good news for women who have spent any season being told they were a footnote.

One small thing today: ask the Father — what name have you given me that I have not been believing? Listen for what comes. Write it down. Walk through the rest of the day in that name.